From the good photographers I know, they say Nikon is best. I'm a newb to photography but really enjoy it as a hobby (I like making and editing pic's, vid, music). So, I don't want just a basic digital camera, I really like to take short-focus shots and that kind of stuff. Don't wanna hit the wallet all too hard though. Anyways, what should I look for in a camera, what's good mp, etc, etc. Thanks for the help!

These kind of threads seem to becoming more and more frequent.
I think we need 1 thread with all the information.

Anyways, like I always say the Xsi/ 450D, XS/1000D (For Canon are the best for under 1000$) And the D40, D40X, D60 (For the Nikon, under 1000$)
All including a standard kit lens

www.dpreview.com

lots of reviews on both new and older DSLRs and point and shoot cameras

This post was edited by Futurama on Jan 28 2009 03:48pm

Disposable cameras is the best by far. True professionals use these.

interested in a dslr or point and shoot?

the pros u know use expensive nikons, which are the best. the cheaper nikons, however, are not. the best budget dslrs are the canon 1000D, 400D, 450D
The cheapest nikon you should buy is the D90, which actually is pretty nice.

for a point and shoot ull do fine with a high-end panasonic or a high-end canon/nikon.

nikon is slightly better than canon on pro models, mid range theyr about equal, but canon has better low end cameras, not to mention the lens lineup and the fact that canon can autofocus with all lenses, cheap nikons cant. In other point of view you can get old used manual lenses really cheap, allso those cheap nikons are bit cheaper than cheapest canons. I suggest you get a canon 400d, its the best bang for the buck atm from cheap dslrs imo. Allso i suggest you get a 50mm f-1.8 besides the kit lens and buy a macro kit for the 50mm lens, you can get some macro kit for around 30-50 dollars and you should get some with +1 +2 and +3 diopeter lenses(some kits are +1 +2 +4 and they should be fine too). 50mm 1.8 is the cheapest canon lens and costs only around 100 dollars, build on it is very poor, but the image quality is great and the fact that its a f-1.8 lens. Its great for portraits mostly, 50mm focal lenght is not a wide angle and not really a telephoto lens, on film its "normal" lenght, but on cropped sensor dslr its bit more like really small telephoto lens, so its great for close up macroing. If you want to spend a little more you should get the 50mm, 60mm or 100mm macro lens instead of the 50 f-1.8

This post was edited by Antichrist- on Jan 28 2009 04:13pm

cameras here: www.net-gift-mart.com
i bought one :\ delivered in 4 days

No idea what most of that means..

From what wiki just told me, I want a dslr.

I was using my friends low end nikon, a d60 I think, and it had a button to switch from manual to auto focus; I figured that was pretty much standard on dslr's?

I think I should make it clearer that I barely know anything about photography.

Thanks, everyone, for the help! I'm soaking it all in. It's probably going to be some time before I get one anyways.

low end nikons wont autofocus with all lenses because usually nikon has made autofocus motor inside the body, there isnt one in the cheap ones. But some nikon newer lenses has a af motor built in, thats why you might need to manual focus some nikon autofocus lenses, atleast sigma allso makes lenses that can autofocus(all with HSM tag imo). Canon has the af motor built in the lenses and all lenses can autofocus(unless you mount for example a nikon lens with adaptor in), allso third party lenses for canon can all autofocus. Or actually there are few special purpose lenses that are only manual focus, but your most likely wouldnt be buying them enyways.

Dig up internet a bit and read my first post again

http://forums.d2jsp.org/index.php?showtopic=27757968&f=265